NOA sensitises locals as 10 Akwa Ibom LGAs record Mpox cases

Worried by the recorded cases of Mpox in Akwa Ibom State, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has embarked on a sensitization exercise to educate the public on the prevalence and prevention of the virus in the state.

Available reports from the Ministry of Health showed that Akwa Ibom State has recorded eleven cases of the Mpox outbreak, ranking it among the states with the highest prevalence of the virus.

The NOA Coordinator in the state, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, disclosed this during a chat with journalists in Uyo on Monday.

He stated that currently 10 local government areas in the state have been affected.

Mkpoutom added that NOA staff have been dispatched to the affected councils since last week after receiving instructions from the Ministry of Health to sensitise the public on preventive measures and the importance of seeking medical attention immediately in case of having a rash containing pus or fluid on any part of the body.

He emphasised the need for people to avoid consuming dead or undercooked meat and urged them to maintain personal and environmental hygiene.

“Right now, this is the problem in Akwa Ibom, and we want everybody to be aware. According to the health sector, there is currently no cure for Mpox; management and treatment are the only options available.”

While noting that, in Onna LGA alone, about six people were affected by the disease in one household, Mkpoutom called on the people of the state to report any such cases to the nearest medical center for treatment.

He disclosed that the affected persons had been quarantined while contact tracing was ongoing in the state.